A homeless man has returned an engagement ring worth thousands of dollars to a woman after she accidentally dropped it in his change cup.

Billy Ray Harris was sitting on The Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri on Friday when Sarah Darling walked past and gave him what she thought was a handful of change.

Nearly an hour after she walked off, Harris checked his cup and found the large platinum and diamond ring inside.

The ring was so big that I knew if it was real, it was expensive,’ Harris told Kansas City’s KCTV5.

Darling said that she had taken off the ring and placed it in her purse after it was bothering her, and had no idea she had dropped it in Harris’ cup.

She only realised the following day and was more upset about losing the sentimental value of the ring, rather than its actual value. She did not reveal how much it was worth.

She returned to the spot where she had met Harris and squatted down next to him to ask if she had left something valuable with him.

Treasured: While she did not divulge its worth, Sarah Darling’s engagement ring is made of platinum and diamonds – but she said the sentimental value was more important than the cost

Thankful: Mrs Darling said she had assumed she would never see the engagement ring again

He immediately handed the ring back to its owner.

‘It seemed like a miracle. I thought for sure there was no way I would get it back,’ said Darling, who gave Harris all of the cash she had in her wallet as a reward for his honesty.

‘I think in our world we often jump to like the worst conclusion, and it just makes you realise that there are good people out there.’

But Harris said he was simply acting in accordance with how he was brought up by his reverend grandfather. The man raised him from the age of six months.

Morals: But Mr Harris said he was brought up to have ‘some character’ by his reverend grandfather

‘Thank the good Lord, it’s a blessing, but I do still have some character,’ he told KCTV5.

The channel reported that Harris also once found a Super Bowl ring belonging to a retired Oakland Raiders player alongside a creek that runs through the city. He returned it to the hotel where the man was staying – and was given a hefty reward and a three-night stay the hotel.